1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a communication system for transmitting and receiving image data through facsimile communications. More particularly, the invention relates to a system for browsing communication details for facsimile communications with user restricting capability.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional communication devices having a facsimile function are generally configured to accumulate in memory communication details for image data transferred in facsimile communications (such as transmission destination, transmission source, communication time, length of communication, and number of pages) and to print the accumulated communication details on paper when a prescribed operation is performed. In this way, the user can check the communication details on paper.
Recently, technologies have been proposed for enabling a user to view communication details of image data transferred in facsimile communications on a display of a terminal device that is connected to and capable of performing data communications with the communication device, rather than through a print media such as paper.
In Japanese patent application publication No. 2000-196799, for example, a communication device (electronic equipment) is configured to generate a web page (HTML file) displaying a list of communication details for facsimile communications (reception log) and having hyperlinks to received image data (received images) associated with the communication details. The communication device distributes this web page and image data via a network. With this technology, the user can check communication details on a web page displayed on a terminal device by accessing the above web page from a terminal device (network computer) connected to the communication device via a network. The user can also view content based on image data by linking to the image data from the web page.
However, the web page generated by the aforementioned communication device includes hyperlinks to image data unrelated to the communication details. Hence, even if the image data represents confidential information intended for specific users, for example, any user can access the above web page via the network and easily browse the content represented by the image data by linking to the data from the web page.